$ cat ./records/jury-orders-microsoft-to-pay-120-million-for-infringing-stac-elec-1994.txt
Jury Orders Microsoft to Pay $120 Million for Infringing Stac Electronics' Patents
[RECORD.TXT] · cat --full
In February 1994, a Los Angeles federal jury found that Microsoft had infringed two data-compression patents held by Stac Electronics, whose Stacker software let users fit more data onto a hard disk; Microsoft had added a similar 'DoubleSpace' feature to MS-DOS 6 after licensing talks with Stac broke down. The jury awarded Stac $120 million — the first patent suit against Microsoft to reach trial — while granting Microsoft $13.6 million on a counterclaim that Stac had misappropriated trade secrets. Rather than keep fighting, the companies settled months later, with Microsoft taking a stake in Stac and paying royalties. The verdict was an early, high-profile legal setback for the Gates-led company.
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